Followers Are Not a Strategy
Many brands still select KOLs/KOCs primarily based on follower counts, fame, or booking costs. While these are factors to consider, they should not be the starting point.
Effective creator marketing must begin with the question: “What role does this creator play in the customer journey?”
A celebrity might help generate awareness but might not build trust in a highly specialized category. A small KOC may not provide massive reach, but could have excellent conversion capabilities due to relatable, credible content. A community voice might not drive direct sales, but they can significantly influence the perception of a specific target group.
Four Roles of a Creator
- Awareness Creator: Individuals who help the brand reach a large audience and build initial recognition.
- Trust Builder: Experts, individuals with real experience, or those with significant credibility within a community who help build customer confidence.
- Conversion Driver: Creators who have the ability to guide viewers toward action: purchasing, signing up, requesting consultations, or using promo codes.
- Community Voice: Creators who help the brand join organic conversations within a community.
Creator Briefs Must Clearly Define the Journey Role
A high-quality creator brief involves more than just key messages and hashtags. It must clearly define the goal, audience, insight, funnel stage, desired action, and measurement metrics.
If a creator is selected to build trust, do not brief them like a paid spokesperson reading an ad. If a creator is selected to drive conversion, ensure there is a clear CTA, offer, landing page, or tracking logic included.
The Digiverse Perspective
Digiverse views influencer/creator marketing as a vital part of a digital communication system. A creator is not just “media placement with a human face,” but a touchpoint within the overall brand experience and customer journey.
By selecting the right role, brands can integrate creators with content, paid media, social commerce, and CRM to achieve significantly better results.
